USWNT’s Michelle Cooper flouts NWSL’s Nike cleats policy: ‘Shop New Balance’

Kansas City Current forward Michelle Cooper chose an unusual way to respond to being fined by the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) for wearing her New Balance cleats: advertise them.

Cooper posted the fine notice she received from the league this week after wearing her New Balance Furon Elite V9 cleats during Current’s game against Gotham FC in New York last weekend. Her first Instagram story post showed the league’s letter, via email, to announce she had been fined, then followed it with another linking directly to the white and alkaline green boots. 

“Sooooo shop New Balance (we can have matching cleats),” the United States international wrote. 

With these posts, Cooper becomes the first player to come forward criticizing the league’s new footwear policy. The 23-year-old, who is under contract with the Current through 2028, is among several players caught between the league’s new footwear exposure policy and complying with their existing cleat deals. 

The league’s footwear clause has been around since the NWSL launched in 2013, though it has historically been enforced sparingly. The NWSL began enforcing a long-standing provision connected to its league-wide Nike apparel agreement that limits brand visibility to those who sign deals with the league, The Athletic previously reported. Under the program, footwear companies outside the league’s existing arrangement must enter into an agreement with the NWSL if they want their logos displayed by players. 

The league has sought approximately $100,000 from participating footwear brands, according to people familiar with the program, while requiring those brands to have endorsement agreements worth at least $5,000 with individual players. Adidas and Puma, the two companies with the largest share of non-Nike-sponsored NWSL players, opted into the program this summer. New Balance has not.

The idea, according to the league, is to ensure that both the NWSL and its players benefit commercially when footwear companies receive exposure during league matches. The league has also argued that the program incentivizes brands to sign players to individual endorsement contracts rather than receiving valuable television and social-media exposure for free.

The alternative for players whose footwear companies don’t participate is to cover the logo.

“The player can cover the branding if they’re going to wear unauthorized footwear, which they’re allowed to do. They just can’t promote the brand,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman told The Athletic earlier this month when asked about the policy. The commissioner also said the league has instructed club equipment managers on methods for obscuring non-participating brands while allowing players to continue wearing their preferred footwear. 

Cooper is among a handful of players who have existing cleat deals with companies that have not opted in to the policy and has been fined after the league imposed its policy in July multiple times, according to the NWSL Players Association. Her first fine came after scoring a brace against the Denver Summit FC on July 3rd. She was fined $500 for that game, after receiving a warning for wearing her cleats at Challenge Cup against Gotham a week prior. 

Current teammate Kayla Sharples has also received a fine notice related to footwear branding. Chicago Stars forward Jordyn Huitema, who wears New Balance, and Seattle Reign defender Sofia Huerta, who has a deal with Lotto, are among the players who have received fines under the policy, as The Athletic previously reported.

The NWSLPA has challenged the league’s enforcement of the policy and filed grievances on behalf of players who have received fines. Under the collective bargaining agreement, disputed fines cannot simply be deducted from a player’s paycheck while a grievance remains unresolved.